What better way to spend this year’s Thanksgiving dinner than to get into
an epic family fight over the current state of politics! Well…maybe not.
If you’re looking for something to talk about that won’t ruffle any
feathers (other than the turkey’s), how about the topic of food and your
genes? Here are some examples of how genes influence your perception of
different food and beverages:

TAS2R31 Gene Region — influences bitter taste sensitivity to saccharin, an
artificial sweetener used in drinks, candies, and medicines. It’s a
primary ingredient in Sweet ‘N Low. The TAS2R31 region also influences
sensitivity to caffeine and quinine, as well as a chemical found in
artichokes.

TAS1R3 Gene Region — influences taste sensitivity to sugars, like sucrose,
glucose, and fructose. For humans and other primates, the ability to taste
sweetness is an important trait as our diet relies largely upon fruit and other
plant foods containing sugar. By contrast, cats and many carnivorous animals
have lost their sweet receptor over the course of evolution.

TAS1R1 Gene — influences taste sensitivity to umami, the mysterious "fifth"
basic taste, along with sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness.
Umami means “pleasant savory taste” in Japanese. It’s typically described
as “savory,” “meaty,” and “brothy,” as well as having a mouthwatering and
coating sensation over the tongue. It’s found in glutamate, a
naturally-occurring compound in meat broths, fermented products,
tomatoes, cheese, and many other foods.

It’s important not to overstate the influence of these genes; most only have a
moderate to minor influence on your taste and smell sensitivity. Still, it’s
interesting to see how genes were passed down in your family and to learn about
their ancient origins.
Get a Gene Heritage report
to compare your genes with other family members and to build an inheritance
tree. You may or may not agree with your Uncle Bob’s views on politics, but it
may be consoling—and healing—to find you share the same TAS1R1 gene!